interview with O'Donoghue on rte.ie now: http://www.rte.ie/sport/player/#!/clip/813/Originally Posted by tetsujin1979
I think he'll go 442, we'll see little of the ball and only then will he bring on Hoolahan.
I do like the look of DeLorean's team though it's too positive for O'Neill I reckon. I think one of Quinn or Pilkington will be in there for a bit of bite.
Whelan will be picked over Meyler I reckon. Fair play to Meyler last night. I think he won a lot of plaudits both for his performance and his attitude.
interview with O'Donoghue on rte.ie now: http://www.rte.ie/sport/player/#!/clip/813/
If it's anything like Tallaght, they spray one half of the pitch for a few minutes and then the other. It makes sense if you have sprinklers around the half way line.
I missed the game yesterday because I was working. The funniest thing Ive seen on here regarding the reaction to the match is the rating of Gibson. Some people saying he was brilliant and some that he was terrible. Would it be the case that he looked bad on tv but live you could see him do more?
Its really not that complicated!!!
He was good from far, but far from good?
O'Donoghue is such a bloody incompetent interviewer , its frightening.
A few words from Roy on Georgia below
http://www.fai.ie/ireland/news/roy-k...ia-on-his-mind
Interesting interviews. O'Neil was a bit tetchy with O'Donoghue who I will hope continues to ask the hard questions like he did under the Trap era.
Dunphy: has already started the criticism with words like "baffled" and then talks up the players, says he has complete confidence in O'Neill: we all know what comes next.
Forget about the performance or entertainment. It's only the result that matters.
There was nothing hard about the questions Tony asked Trap.....O'Donoghue was an embarrasment with his interview technique towards him. His questions were stupid and were asked so Tony could be controversial....nothing more.
O'Neill was definitely tetchy towards him and who could blame him.....T.O.D is a joke of an interviewer who shouldnt be let near a microphone
They watered both sides of the pitch, I believe.
End Apartheid Now! One Team in Ireland!
Westwood and Stokes cut for the trip to Georgia. Westwood is ill, no reason given for Stokes' absence but he played no part on Wednesday.
I really think it's a missed opportunity that Stokes hasn't appeared more for Ireland. So many friendlies he's been sat on the bench while we are complaining about a lack of genuine goalscoring options... and giving people like Walters, Cox, Murphy and Sammon game time.
He played on the wing against Germany and Kazakhstan and he was really quite impressive.
You really don't understand football do you?
Rankings don't always give a true reflection on the team you are playing.
But hey you are probably just happy to have a go at me for any reason.
Am I right in saying that Stokes' court appearance over his 'scuffle' with Elvis Pressley was due to impinge on a qualifier? Maybe it's this one.
He's featured in friendlies under O'Neill. I think he's a very good option anywhere in the forward line, be it part of a 2 or 3-man one. Excellent set piece delivery too.
I believe his court case coincides with the Gibraltar game. It seems he was just the odd man out this week as O'Neill only wanted to bring 23. Westwood and McClean being injured made it an easier cut to make.
I thought he gave Trap an awful time and to be consistent I hope he also asks the current management team questions like "Are you going to resign etc". He obviously in an earlier interview had asked MO'N about the previous 4/5 games without a win (fair enough surely?) and MO'N rounded on him asking him was he happy now that we had won!
Forget about the performance or entertainment. It's only the result that matters.
I'm not optimistic about the Georgia game. With any other team a draw against Georgia would not be the end of the world, but a win is more integral for us because of our awful record against teams like Germany and Poland. If we do drop points, I'm afraid it will leave us with a mountain to climb. It's unfortunate, but based on past competitive results, Poland and Scotland have more reason to believe that they will take points off each other, us and Germany than we do in the same scenario.
Germany I get, but Poland? Our record against inconsistent teams with a star or two isn't too bad. Take the last Trapattoni campaign out and we're alright.
http://www.independent.ie/sport/socc...-30567144.html
Dion Fanning's team prediction is the exact same as the one I had. Richard Keogh a liability at center back. Glenn Whelan and Jon Walters, passengers from the Trapattoni era who continue to start despite poor performances throughout the last campaign. No room for Wes Hoolahan. Same formation and personnel as we had in the last campaign, except now we don't have the composure and authority of a Dunne or St Ledger in the back line. No bravery, same old complacency.
Not optimistic at all.
That's not the team I would predict. Keogh is a maybe but Ward has been a mainstay at full back. Walters over Brady would be too conservative for me.
Similiarly, I'm not too optimistic either. We seem to be a step behind in terms of open play with continental europe. It's mostly evident in our underage sides. Our players(and other nations in the british isles) aren't as comfortable on the ball as we should be. Ketsbiaia has said that his side play better football than ours. Of course he would say that, but I find it very hard to defend our side because we have no discernable style.
More and more we are becoming a 'championship' side. I've no problem with that in the short term. But it's difficult to fully support. If we get a result tomorrow, and a draw would be a result, it'll be a blood and guts draw. We won't be dictating the game by any stretch.
I would of been someone classed as a 'Trap apologist'. I didn't want to be, but his main gripe was that we didn't have the players to play it out from the back and were best defending from the front. Hence players like McGeady got applauded for there defensive efforts. Not much has changed and if O'Neill/Keane aren't pragmactic enough to go the same route, we'll fail.
I'd love if we won tomorrow, football is a simple game and any combination of factors can overcome your opponent. But over a full campaign, things need to change. A long kickout should be last resort, relying on Shane Long to win headers should be back of the mind, set plays are a strength but should be backed up by periods of possession.
I'm gonna stick a tenner on Georgia to win because with my luck, it'll guarantee Ireland a result. I hope all you other unlucky *****s do the same.
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